Red Cross societies meet in Geneva to draft action plan

Red Cross delegates from all over the world are meeting in Geneva this week to plan concrete action to tackle the humanitarian challenges of the next millennium.

Red Cross delegates from all over the world are meeting in Geneva this week to plan concrete action to tackle the humanitarian challenges of the next millennium.

The week-long conference brings together representatives from 188 governments and 176 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. They will chart the organisation’s so-called Millennium Year, which has the slogan “The Power of Humanity.”

Following the opening session, there will be one “plenary session” over three days, with each day devoted to a different theme.

Topics for discussion include how to protect the victims of armed conflict through international humanitarian law; humanitarian work in times of conflict and other disasters; and improving the lives of vulnerable people.

Two documents will be put to delegates for adoption.

One is an action plan that will define what measures will be necessary to achieve concrete goals for the period 2000-2003. The conference will also issue a declaration that summarises the key conclusions and reaffirms the commitment to the humanitarian agenda.

There are many challenges ahead for international Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.

“While one half of the world is enjoying the fruits of economic integration and advances in science, technology and communications, the other half is struggling with basic issues of survival,” they said in an official statement on their website.

The national societies list a series of major problems that need urgent action: The recurrence of natural disasters; conflicts fuelled by nationalistic, religious or ethnic ideals; as well as resurgent diseases and the continuing HIV crisis.

From staff and wire reports.